Railway-signal.



No. 785,669. Y -PATENTE-D MAR.21,1905.

' M. D. HANLON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1904.

` 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 785,669. PATENTED MAR. 2l, 1905.

. M. D. HANLON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 9, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lNo. 785,669.

PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905.

M. D. HANLON. RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES latented March 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,669, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed July 9, 1904. Serial No. 215,878.

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARQUIS D. HANLON, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVil kinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals,

of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to railway-signals, and particularly to that class of railway-signals in which the motive power therefor is in the form of iiuid-pressure.

I will describe a railway-signal embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanyin, ,1r drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a railway-signal embodying myinvention and showing more particularly the operating mechanism thereof. The several parts of the operating mechanism are in the positionsthey occupy when the signal device of the railwaysignal is in a position indicating danger-F Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of section of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view. Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l, showing an arrangement of ports andpassages for the supply of fluidpressure to different fluid-pressure apparatus comprised in the operating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, drawn to a smallerl scale, but showing the several parts in the positions they occupy when the signal device is in a position indicating clear or safety.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

I will premise that wherever I herein use the term signal I mean to include any visualsignal device which by its color or by its position relatively to its support gives indications of the service conditions of the railroadtrack or section of railroad-track which it governs. Also wherever I use the term fluidpressure I mean a liquid or gas under pressure. I preferably employ a gas. Any gas may be employedfor example, air or carbonic-acid gas-and under any pressure which is sufhcient or more than sufiicient to operate the apparatus employed for moving the signal device. If the pressure of the gas is above that required for the operation of the apparatus employed in the railway-signal, reducingvalves may be employed in their proper places. An auxiliary reservoir may also be employed between the reducing-valve and the iiuid-pressure apparatus.

A (see Fig. 7) designates a visual signal, here shown as being a semaphore and comprising, as usual, a blade a and a counterweight a. The counterweight et is adapted when the semaphore is free to move on its pivot Z2 to move the blade Z to a horizontal position, which position generally indicates danger7 or stop when the railway-signal is placed in service beside a railway. In this invention the blade t is moved from its horizontal position-to an inclined position by a fluid-pressure apparatus through the medium of a verticallyarranged rod B, generally termed an u p-anddown rod. When in an inclined position, the Ablade indicates safety or caution The rod B is operatively connected with the semaphore at onel end and with the piston of the Huid-pressure apparatus at its other end.

I) designates the Huid-pressure apparatus which is employed for moving the signal from one position of indication to another*that is, from a horizontal position to an inclined position. It is here shown as being in the form of a motor comprising a piston (Z and a cylinder CZ', within which the piston moves. The motor is mounted on a base (Z2, supported on and secured to suitable brackets. The base Z2 is provided with a passage (Z3, which is in communication with a controllable source of fluid-pressure supply, a passage CZ", in communication with the passage (Z3, and a second fluid-pressure apparatus E, to be hereinafter more particularly described, a passage ZZ", in communication with the passage Z3 and with a chamber ZG through a port (Z7, and a passage CZS, leading from the chamber CZ to a passage d, which latter passage opens into the cylinder ZZ beneath the piston. A doublethe chamber (,Z" to the atmosphere.

acting valve F, to be hereinafter referred to, located in the chamber d, upon positive operation in opposite directions opens and closes the passage Z5 and port Z7 to control the supply of Huid-pressure to the cylinder Z/ and an exhaust passage or port dl", leading from The valve F is so arranged that when the port Z7 is closed the passage (1 is opened, and vice versa. Fluid-pressure for operating' the apparatuses D and 1G may be supplied from any suitable source through a pipe or conduit 01, which is in communication with the passage cl3, and its flow through the passage (Z3 is under the control of an electrically-operated valve device G. This valve device may conveniently be substantially of the form and arrangement illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 357,109, issued February l, 1887, to George N/restingliorlse, Jr., to which patent reference may be had for details of construction and operation. Itis only necessary to here state that the electrically-operated valve device should have the 'functions of opening the supply of fluid-pressure when the coil y", comprised in the device, is energized and of closing or cutting off the supply of Huid-pressure when said coil is denergized and of opening an exhaust port or passage, through which the used uuid-pressure may escape to the atmosphere. Any electricallyoperated valve device having these functions may be employed. rlhe fluid-pressure passes around the valve y, comprised in the valve device Gr, into a passage y', which is in communication with the passage d. rlhe valve g2, comprised in the valve device G, controls the escape of gas 'from the passages (Z3 and Z'L to the atmosphere through a port y, The valves g and g2 are so arranged that when one is seated the other is unscated or opened, and vice versa.

In this invention the Huid-pressure apparatus D is desig'ned to move the signal-in this example the blade cmfrom one position of indication to another, preferably from the danger position of indication to the safety or clear position of indication, by a single upward stroke of the piston (l. After the signal has been moved by the piston (l it is locked and held against return movement by suitable locking means operated from the fluid-pressure apparatus E. rlhe fluid-pressure apparatus E as here shown comprises a diaphragm e, located in a chamber formed in part by a portion of the under side of the base Z2 and a cap-plate d, which parts also serve to hold the peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is provided with a projection c, which bears upon and moves a lever e when liuid-In'essure is admitted onto the diaphragm through the passage cZ". The ends of the pin e" are mounted in the brackets supporting the base d.

The locking means here shown comprises a pawl c3 and a lever o, which is preferably in the forrn of a bell-crank lever. 'l1 he pawl c3 is arranged on a pin c, which is mounted at its ends in the stem of the piston, which, as shown, is in the form of acylinder G2, in such manner as to have a swinging movement. The pawl c3 is limited in its radial movement in one direction on the pin c12 by a projection 020, which may be integral with the pistonstem. The lever c'l is arranged on a pin c2, which is mounted in such manner as to have a rocking movement in some iixed part ofthe railway-signal for example, a casing C, suitably mounted on the upper end of the cylinder ZC The pin extends through elongated openings d, provided in the piston-stem, in order that the piston and the parts connected therewith may have movement without hindrance by the pin c2. The lever c'L is provided with a roller c5, which when the piston has completed its upward stroke to move the semaphore on its pivot and with it the pawl c3 moves beneath a shoulder 021, provided on the pawl. (See Fig. 7.) The lever of is rocked by the fluid-pressure apparatus E through the lever e and a rod e5. The effective position of the locking means is shown in Fig. 7. In this position the rod B, piston d, and pawl e3 under the influence of the counterweight a' act downwardly to restore the piston l te g the bottom of the cylinder cl and the blade a to its horizontal position. Such action, however, is prevented by the lever c" and rod e5 so long as duid-pressure is acting on the diaphragm e. By reason of the relation of the journal of the roller c to the centers of the pins 012 c2, it lying outside of a line drawn through the centers of the pins el c2, the weight a of the semaphore, rod B, and piston, &c., is transmitted, through the pawl c, to the periphery of the roller c and through its journal-pin to the pin C of the lever c* and tends to force the lever cAl outward and the pawl c outward with the roller c" and to bring a toe portion cl3 on the pawl c3 into engagement with the level' c". rlhe pawl c, roller c, the lever c", and its pin dl form, in effect, a toggle-joint. When the diaphragm is relieved from pressure, the lever cA1 nieves outward on its pivot c2 and with it the pawl c, thus bringing the toe portion c13 against the lever ci. In consequence of this the roller 05 is moved from under the pawl and, revolving, ceases to support the pawl, which, swinging clear of the lever c and roller 05, descends with the rod B. rlhe rod B under the inliuence of the counterweight a forces the piston to the bottom of the cylinder and moves the blade o to its horizontal position, which indicates ndangerf7 The parts are then in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to provide for cutting olf the supply of fluid-pressure to the cylinder after the lever cL has been moved under the pawl c3, for it lis evident that the further supply of liuid- IOO IOS

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pressure would be unnecessary and would if supplied the cylinder leal; past the pistonpackings and still retain the supply of iiuidpressure on the diaphragm, I provide the valve F and operate it positively from the fluid-pressure apparatus E through the lever e3. The valve is shown as being provided with two valve-facesff, one, f, to open and close the port Z7 and the other, f', to open and close the entrance to the passage f 10, which leads to the atmosphere. The valve F is located in the chamber CZ, and the stem f2 thereof extends through the passage cZlO. The stem f2 (see Fig. 5) is provided at its lower end with an adjustable stirrup f3, which is located in an enlargement e7 of the lever e3. (See Fig. 4.) A spring es, or there may be a plurality of springs es, is secured at one of its ends to the lever e3, and its other end extends into the stirrup f2. A screw f* is provided in the stirrup and is for the purpose of regulating the tension of the spring es. rlhe value of a loose connection between the spring es and the stem of the valve F lies in the fact that some movement of the lever e3 is permitted without any movementI of the valve F.

rIhe operation of the valve F by the fluidpressure apparatus E is as follows: When the parts of the railway-signal are in the positions shown in Figs. l and 2, upon the energization of the coil comprised in the valve device G the valve g2 will be closed and the val ve g opened. Fluid-pressu re will then flow through the passages (Z3 and Zi to the diaphragm e and through passages (Z5, port (Z7, past the valve f, which will be in its open position, (see Fig. 2,) into the chamber eZ and through the passages OZ8 Z9 into the cylinder Z under the piston (Z, thereby causing the piston to move upward and through the rod B move the semaphore on its pivot. The fluidpressure acting on the diaphragm e causes the diaphragm to rock the lever e3 and through the rod to rock the lever cA1 to bring the roller against the pawl, which resting against a stop 62 prevents further movement of the levers c5L and e3 by the diaphragm until the shoulder of the pawl has passed beyond the roller c, after which the roller c5 moves under the shoulder of the pawl. When this occurs, the lever @3 will move the spring e to engage the upper part of the stirrup and positively move the valve F to close the port (Z7, and thereby shut olf the supply of fluid-pressure to the cylinder and open the exhaustpassage fZw, so that the fluid-pressure in the cylinder beneath the piston may exhaustto the atmosphere. When the supply of fluidpressure is cut ofl1 from above the diaphragm, and this is due to a denergization of the coil comprised in the valve device G, the lever c4 will move from beneath the pawl, and in doing so it causes the lever e3 to rock downward. In rocking downward the spring es engages l the lower part of the stirrup to positively move the valve F to open the port Z7 and close the passage (Zw. 'The valve F is preferably so arranged in the chamber CZ that it requires positive movement in both directions to satisfactorily perform its functions.

The coil of the valve device is included in a circuit which may be opened or closed in any desired manner-for example, by the armature of a relay the coils of which are included in a track or other circuit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a railway-signal, the combination with a signal, of a Huid-pressure apparatus for moving it from one position of indication to another; means for locking the signal in the position to which it has been moved comprising-a pawl movable with the signal, a lever for engaging the pawl during the pawls movement and moving beneath it after an operation of the fluid-pressure apparatus and a second lever operatively connected with the firstmentioned lever; a diaphragm for operating the second lever; a fluid-pressure supply for the fluidpressure apparatus and the diaphragm; a valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to the Huid-pressure apparatus; and means for moving said valve to cut off the supply of fluid-pressure to the fluidpressure apparatus which'means are operated from the second lever.

2. In a railway-signal, the combination with a signal; of a fluid-pressure apparatus for moving' it from one position of indication to another; means for locking the signal in the position to which it has been moved comprising a pawl movable with the signal, a lever for engaging the pawl during the pawls movement and moving beneath it after an operation of the fluid-pressure apparatus and a second lever operatively connected with the firstmentioned lever; a diaphragm for operating the second lever; a fluid-pressure supply for the Ailuid pressure apparatus and the diaphragm; a valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to the {luid-pressure apparatus; and a spring connected with the second lever for moving said valve to cut off the supply of fluid-pressure to the fluid-pressure apparatus.

3. In a railway-signal, the combination with a signal; of a fluid-pressure apparatus for moving it from one position of indication to another; means for locking the signal in the position to which it has been moved comprising a pawl movable with the signal device, a lever for engaging the pawl during the pawls movement and moving it beneath it after an operation of the fluid-pressure. apparatus and a second lever operatively connected with the first-mentioned lever; a diaphragm for operating the second lever; a fluid-pressure supply for the fluid-pressure apparatus and the diaphragm; a valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to the fluid-pressure ap- IOO IIO

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paratus; and means, comprising a spring conto this specification in the presence of two subneeted with the second lever and a stlrrup scribed Wltnesses.

connected with the Valve and in which the end of the Spring hhs, for moving said Valve to MARQUIS D' HANLON 5 eut o' the supply of Huid-preesure to the uidritnessesz Y pressure apparatus. W. L. MCDANIEL,

ln testimony W hereofl I have signed my name GEORGE MCCOMIICK. 

